Welcome to episode 305 (“USB-C Apple Evolution”) of the EdTech Situation Room from September 13, 2023, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week, Dr. Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Dr. Wesley Fryer (@wfryer@mastodon.cloud) delved into a range of exciting and significant topics in the tech world. Key discussions included the ongoing evolution of Apple’s products with a special focus on their transition to USB-C, reflecting a major shift in their design philosophy and user interface. The episode also highlighted advancements in AI and its burgeoning role in education, underscoring both the opportunities and challenges it presents to educators and students alike. Further, the hosts explored the broader tech landscape, discussing the current state of technology markets and the challenges facing tech companies as they navigate a period of correction and change. The conversation also ventured into the thrilling realm of space exploration, showcasing the latest developments and missions that continue to push the boundaries of human knowledge and capability. Ethics in technology, particularly regarding AI, formed a crucial part of the discussion, with insights into the latest guidelines and ethical considerations that are shaping the development and deployment of AI technologies. Throughout the episode, Dr. Neiffer and Dr. Fryer provided their expert analysis and perspectives, making complex topics accessible and engaging for their audience. “Geeks of the Week” included “AI Guidelines for Students” (from Wes) and the AI-powered meme generator “www.supermeme.ai” (from Jason.) Join us for this insightful episode as we explore the intersections of technology, education, and society. Stay savvy and safe!
Welcome to episode 304 (“Privacy Laws, Please!”) of the EdTech Situation Room from September 6, 2023, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week, Dr. Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Dr. Wesley Fryer (wesfryer.com/after) discussed exciting developments and educational impacts related to artificial intelligence (AI). They highlighted new AI-powered tools like Claude and Poe that summarize documents and provide customized assistance. Jason explained how these tools have streamlined his workflow, saving him hours of time processing information. The hosts also addressed concerns about generative AI, including the creation of inappropriate content. They analyzed the complications arising from open access to AI models. In addition, Jason and Wes talked about new Google Workspace features involving AI, like automated meeting summaries. They speculated on the future integration of AI into platforms like YouTube and Zoom. Shifting focus, the pair addressed updates involving Apple products, Huawei smartphones, and connected cars and privacy. They emphasized the need for privacy regulations. Discussion also centered on censorship and content moderation on social media platforms. Wrapping up, Jason and Wes shared their “Geeks of the Week,” including a TED talk from Sal Khan about AI in education, a podcast on political impacts of AI, and Khan Academy’s AI platform, Khanmigo. The show was live-streamed and archived simultaneously on YouTube Live as well as Facebook Live via StreamYard.com. Please follow @edtechSR on Twitter and @edtechsr@mastodon.education on Mastodon for updates, and join LIVE on Wednesday nights if you can. All shownotes are available on edtechSR.com/links. AI Disclosure: An initial draft of this episode summary was generated using youtubetranscript.com and claude.ai, as well as options for our show title!
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Prompt: As the Executive Director of the Montana State virtual school, I am interested in virtual education policies, technologies, and best practices for K-12 education. I am also focused on the development of study and online learning skills in students, educational technology, AI in education, and social studies and humanities education. Please provide a summary of an article that highlights the 5-10 major points most relevant to my role and context.
Welcome to Episode 303 (“Happy Birthday Google!”) of the EdTech Situation Room from August 30, 2023, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week, Dr. Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Dr. Wesley Fryer (wesfryer.com/after) discussed a range of technology topics, analyizing the latest news at the intersection of education and technology. They covered the 25th Birthday of Google, developments in artificial intelligence, including Google’s new image generation tool in Google Slides, a watermarking technique from Google to help track AI-generated images, and Ideogram, a powerful new free AI image generation tool Neiffer discovered. Fryer shared insights on military AI, highlighting the US Air Force’s plans to use autonomous drone “wingmen” alongside human pilots. The hosts also talked about upcoming Apple announcements, anticipating the likely release of the iPhone 15. They weighed the potential benefits of switching to USB-C charging and the need for schools to adapt. Social media topics included Facebook’s staff cuts impacting content moderation, lawsuits against tech companies related to student mental health, and the risks of election misinformation with weakened oversight. In other news, hosts highlighted the new US Cybersecurity Trustmark for IoT devices and Google’s plans to integrate AI writing assistance across Chromebooks. For their “Geeks of the Week,” Fryer shared a tutorial on using Voice Memos for student oral history projects, and Neiffer highlighted a deal on the MacBook Air M1, praising its speed and value. The show was live-streamed and archived simultaneously on YouTube Live as well as Facebook Live via StreamYard.com. Please follow @edtechSR on Twitter and @edtechsr@mastodon.education on Mastodon for updates, and join LIVE on Wednesday nights if you can. All shownotes are available on edtechSR.com/links. AI Disclosure: An initial draft of this episode summary was generated using youtubetranscript.com and claude.ai, as well as options for our show title!
Welcome to Episode 302 (“AI Ethics Examined”) of the EdTech Situation Room from August 23, 2023, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week, Dr. Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Dr. Wesley Fryer (wesfryer.com/after) discussed a variety of AI-related news stories and developments. They covered an Iowa school district’s controversial use of ChatGPT to identify books with sexual content, as well as concerns around the hacking of AI chatbots at the Defcon security conference. The hosts also talked about reconstructing songs from neural data, Dungeons & Dragons banning AI art, and the high costs associated with running AI models like ChatGPT. Jason and Wes further explored Apple’s stances on right-to-repair legislation, the company’s long history of planning for augmented reality headsets, and regulations in Europe and some US states aimed at curbing social media use and smartphone addiction among teenagers. In addition, they highlighted an upcoming floating workspaces feature in Chrome OS that could benefit classroom workflows. The episode wrapped up with the hosts sharing their “Geeks of the Week,” including an AI class offered by Jason’s school, using custom instructions to control ChatGPT’s verbosity, and a neurotechnology podcast that Wes recommended. The show was live-streamed and archived simultaneously on YouTube Live as well as Facebook Live via StreamYard.com. Please follow @edtechSR on Twitter and @edtechsr@mastodon.education on Mastodon for updates, and join LIVE on Wednesday nights if you can. All shownotes are available on edtechSR.com/links. AI Disclosure: An initial draft of this episode summary was generated using youtubetranscript.com and claude.ai, as well as options for our show title!
Welcome to Episode 301 (“Adjusting to AI”) of the EdTech Situation Room from August 16, 2023, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week, Dr. Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Wesley Fryer (wesfryer.com/after) reflected on the evolution of social media and technology over the past 15-20 years. Neiffer suggested today’s social media allows for curation of information by finding creators to follow. He and Fryer aim to elevate the conversation and share interesting findings as “filters” for each other and listeners. The pair touched on Neiffer’s recent presentations about AI to various administrator groups. He suggested policies and ongoing conversations as AI integrates into society and classrooms. Several AI-related articles were discussed. One covered Pearson expecting revenue growth from AI, showing publishers are embracing the technology. The hosts considered how API access allows companies to easily implement AI like ChatGPT. They speculated customized AI could be trusted more when trained on a publisher’s proprietary material. An interview between Lawrence Lessig and Tristan Harris highlighted the need for thoughtful AI regulation given its power. Neiffer praised Claude AI for aiming to align with human rights. He recommended “constitutional AI” (like Claude.ai) that explicitly identifies its values for “alignment.” Other topics included Google’s aggressive AI research, ChatGPT custom instructions, Apple’s satellite emergency SOS, the end of free accounts on Wakelet, and a lawsuit by far-right activists over leaked identities. The hosts emphasized the importance of media literacy regarding AI and social media. For his “Geek of the Week,” Fryer shared examples of using ChatGPT for practical classroom tasks like spreadsheets and rubrics. Neiffer highlighted an AI tool called Upscale that enhances low resolution images. The show was live-streamed and archived simultaneously on YouTube Live as well as Facebook Live via StreamYard.com. Please follow @edtechSR on Twitter and @edtechsr@mastodon.education on Mastodon for updates, and join LIVE on Wednesday nights if you can. All shownotes are available on edtechSR.com/links. AI Disclosure: An initial draft of this episode summary was generated using youtubetranscript.com and claude.ai, as well as options for our show title!
Welcome to Episode 300 (“Educators Eye AI Ethics”) of the EdTech Situation Room from August 2, 2023, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week, Dr. Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Wesley Fryer (wesfryer.com/after) welcomed viewers to the milestone 300th episode of the EdTech Situation Room on August 2, 2023. They discussed technology’s rapid advancements, particularly in artificial intelligence (AI), and how educators can thoughtfully integrate new tools into the classroom. The hosts reflected on the show’s history analyzing educational technology news over 299 prior episodes. They outlined the main topics to be covered, including AI, tech policy, Apple, Google, social media, and their weekly “Geeks of the Week” recommendations. Jason and Wes delved into several Google Chrome updates, examining their implications for users and schools. They critiqued proposed regulations cracking down on tech giants in Canada and Europe as going too far in restricting online linking and personalized ads. However, the hosts agreed greater privacy protections are needed in the U.S. Shifting to AI, the hosts were excited by Claude, Anthropic’s new AI chatbot alternative to ChatGPT. They were impressed with Claude’s ability to mimic a user’s writing style when provided samples and to generate content based on analyzing uploaded PDFs. Jason and Wes discussed AI’s potential to transform assessments, emphasizing the need for educators to thoughtfully integrate it into their practice. They also covered several other AI topics, including ethical AI development, using AI in Hollywood productions, and the Worldcoin project linking cryptocurrency to biometric facial/retinal scanning. In closing, Jason and Wes shared their “Geeks of the Week,” including downloadable instructions for 6800 Lego kits and the Google Robotics Lab Segment of the July 28th New York Times Hard Fork Podcast. The show was live-streamed and archived simultaneously on YouTube Live as well as Facebook Live via StreamYard.com. Please follow @edtechSR on Twitter and @edtechsr@mastodon.education on Mastodon for updates, and join LIVE on Wednesday nights if you can. All shownotes are available on edtechSR.com/links. AI Disclosure: An initial draft of this episode summary was generated using youtubetranscript.com and claude.ai, as well as options for our show title!
Welcome to Episode 299 (“Truth Over Trickery”) of the EdTech Situation Room from July 26, 2023, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week, Dr. Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Wesley Fryer (wesfryer.com/after) discussed recent developments in artificial intelligence (AI) and generative language models. They reviewed several articles, including concerns that ChatGPT is becoming less functional over time and may be losing capabilities. The hosts explored issues around copyright infringement and intellectual property regarding large language models trained on copyrighted content, sparked by comedian Sarah Silverman’s lawsuit against OpenAI. They dove into the implications of AI influencers, election interference threats, and new AI products like Anthropic’s Claude model and Google’s Notebook LM note-taking tool. Throughout, Jason and Wes emphasized the need for transparency and ethical principles in AI development. They argued homework and assessments may need to be reconsidered in light of generative language models. The hosts also covered social media trends, security issues, and the importance of media literacy. They promoted critical thinking and authentic creation in classrooms. In closing, Jason and Wes shared their “Geeks of the Week,” including the historical audio tour app autio.com, the “Airalo E-Sims” product for travelers, an upcoming free AI conference, and several upcoming edtech conferences with option presenter calls: NCCE 2024 and DLAC 2024. The show was live-streamed and archived simultaneously on YouTube Live as well as Facebook Live via StreamYard.com. Please follow @edtechSR on Twitter and @edtechsr@mastodon.education on Mastodon for updates, and join LIVE on Wednesday nights if you can. All shownotes are available on edtechSR.com/links. AI Disclosure: An initial draft of this episode summary was generated using youtubetranscript.com and claude.ai, as well as options for our show title!
Welcome to Episode 298 (“AI Overlords Loom”) of the EdTech Situation Room from June 14, 2023, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week, Dr. Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Wesley Fryer (wesfryer.com/after) discussed the past week’s technology news through an educational lens. In this week’s episode, Jason and Wes started by sharing their “Geeks of the Week,” including the Whisper voice transcription app and the link shortening service short.io. They then dove into recent Apple news, discussing the positive reviews of the new 15-inch MacBook Air and the dropping of support for many older Intel Macs in the upcoming macOS update. A good portion of the episode focused on AI developments, including Microsoft’s rushed integration of ChatGPT into Bing despite warnings from OpenAI, new AI regulations being developed in the EU, estimates that AI poses a 20-30% risk of catastrophe (P-doom), Amazon using AI to crack down on fake reviews, and more. Jason and Wes emphasized the need for thoughtful conversations and reasonable regulations around these powerful AI technologies. The hosts announced they would be taking a multi-week summer break. In the meantime, past episodes are still published across platforms like YouTube and podcast feeds. To find the hosts during the break, one could look for @techsavvyteach on Twitter for Jason and www.westfryer.com/after for Wes. The show was live-streamed and archived simultaneously on YouTube Live as well as Facebook Live via StreamYard.com. Please follow @edtechSR on Twitter and @edtechsr@mastodon.education on Mastodon for updates, and join LIVE on Wednesday nights if you can. All shownotes are available on edtechSR.com/links. AI Disclosure: An initial draft of this episode summary was generated using youtubetranscript.com and claude.ai.
Welcome to episode 297 (“Exciting Apple Announcements”) of the EdTech Situation Room from June 7, 2023, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week, Dr. Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Wesley Fryer (wesfryer.com/after) discussed the latest Apple announcements, including the new 15-inch MacBook Air with impressive features and an affordable price. They also explored the new Mac Pro and Mac Studio models, highlighting their upgradeability and performance capabilities. The unveiling of the Vision Pro, an augmented reality (AR) headset, sparked excitement about its potential applications in various fields. The hosts also touched on Apple’s entry into the virtual reality (VR) space, discussing its potential impact on education and other sectors. They further delved into the use of iPads in education, concerns about election misinformation on YouTube, the removal of malicious Chrome extensions, the risks associated with Chromebook extensions, and the challenges surrounding AI technology, particularly chatbots. The importance of media literacy and integrating lessons on AI and social media in classrooms was emphasized. In addition, Jason and Wes discussed the importance of clear rules and guidelines for device use in the classroom. They emphasized the need for effective classroom management in the digital age and suggested involving students in the conversation. They promoted interactive instruction and meaningful engagement with material. Wrapping up the episode, the hosts shared their “Geeks of the Week,” which included ChatPDF, Mark Rober’s recent commencement address at MIT, and a podcast episode about AI from Wes’ North Carolina school. The show was live-streamed and archived simultaneously on YouTube Live as well as Facebook Live via StreamYard.com. Please follow @edtechSR on Twitter and @edtechsr@mastodon.education on Mastodon for updates, and join LIVE on Wednesday nights if you can. All shownotes are available on edtechSR.com/links. AI Disclosure: This summary was partly generated using summarize.tech.
Welcome to episode 296 (“Home Media Options”) of the EdTech Situation Room from May 31, 2023, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week, Dr. Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Wesley Fryer (wesfryer.com/after) discussed different home media options including Chromecast, Apple Homepod, and the WalMart $20 Onn streaming box. and They also delved into the fascinating realm of AI, illustrating its transformative effects on a multitude of sectors like healthcare, finance, entertainment, and transportation. They navigated the complexities of the privacy concerns surrounding AI, highlighting the delicate balance between harnessing the power of AI and safeguarding personal information. The conversation naturally transitioned into the significance of AI in everyday life, demonstrating its influence from movie recommendations on Netflix to shopping suggestions on Amazon. The discourse then shifted to the widespread adoption of AI by businesses, underscoring the productivity and efficiency gains that AI promises by automating routine tasks. As a teaser for the next week, the hosts hinted at an upcoming discussion on how tech titan Apple is navigating the AI landscape. Our show is live-streamed and archived simultaneously on YouTube Live as well as our Facebook Live page via StreamYard.com. Please follow @edtechSR on Twitter and @edtechsr@mastodon.education on Mastodon for updates, and join us LIVE on Wednesday nights if you can. All shownotes are available on edtechSR.com/links. AI Disclosure: This summary was partly generated with ChatGPT4 using youtubetranscript.com and the ChatGPT-specific chunking program chatgpt-prompt-splitter.jjdiaz.dev. (Full ChatGPT conversation available. It was actually not inclusive of our non-AI topics, so this final version was substantially edited.)
